Grip for golf clubs or the like



Oct 18 1938. E. E. HALL,

GRIP FOR GOLF CLUBS OR THE LIKE Filed June 9 ...1. MM35/www5.

Patented Oct. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFQE 2 Claims.

Among discriminating users of golf clubs, diiiiculty is sometimesexperienced in securing a golf club which is provided with a grip orhandle of the desired diameter and surface so that it often becomesnecessary to specially wrap or nish a golf club, otherwise acceptable,in a special manner to meet the personal demands of the player. Thepresent invention is directed to a removable grip which may be tted toany golf club of the desired weight or character so that thediscriminating user will be enabled to make selection of a grip of thedesired size, shape and feel and fit the same to any selected clubwithout the use of special tools or appliances, thereby enabling therequirements of the user to be readily and quickly satisfied. Althoughthe invention is one which is particularly designed for use'inconnection with golf clubs, it is not the intention to strictly limitthe grip features to golf clubs solely, since other implements ordevices requiring a special form of grip may be likewise equipped withthe devices of the present invention.

Further objects and details will appear from a description of theinvention in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a View partly in section illustrating the upper or handleend of a golf club shaft having tted thereto a grip embodying thefeatures of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a modified form of theconstruction;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective view showing the upper end of thegrip tube of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective showing the locking device for the upper end ofthe shaft of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a View partly in section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a second modification of thepresent invention;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective of the locking device of Fig. 8.

In the various forms of construction the Lipper end of a tubular steelgolf club shaft is designated by the numeral 20. Within the upperterminus of the shaft is located a locking plug 2l which is rigidly heldin place by cross pins 22, or other suitable fastening means. In each ofthe constructions shown, the locking plug projects beyond the tubulargolf shaft, and in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 theprojecting end of the plug is bifurcated to provide a cross cut notch 23which receives the inner end of a wedge plug 24 which is configured toafford a bridge 5 which enters the notch, the side walls 2S of the wedgeplug being extended to overlap the sides of the golf club shaft. Thisarrangement serves to engage the wedge plug with the golf club l shaftin such a way as to prevent turning and at 10 the same time to permitthe wedge plug to be drawn inwardly toward the shaft by means of a screw21 which is entered through a smooth bore 28 in the wedge plug andthreaded into the end y of the locking plug 2l. l5

The ared side wall of the wedge plug bears against the flared upper end29 of a grip tube 3l! which is covered with a wrapping 3l and a sheathor hand grip covering 32. The tube 3@ is of a size, weight and taperwhich best suits the re- 20 quirements of the individual player, and thelower end of the tube is provided with an annular shoulder 32a againstwhich the wrapping and sheath abut and below which is an outward flare33 which embraces a conical wedge collar 25 34 formed upon or secured tothe shaft 25. rThe arrangement is one which permits of variations in thesize of the shaft and the grip tube, since the wedging surfaces affordedby the wedge plug and the wedge collar respectively will compensate 30for such variations in size.

It is preferred to provide holes or perforations 35 in the wall of thetube for the purpose of reducing the weight, and also for the purpose of affording a more firm and secure connection for 35 the wrapping andgrip covering which are applied to the exterior of the tube. Bytightening the screw 21, the wedge plug will be drawn inwardly andthereby force the tube into firm wedging contact both with the wedgeplug and the wedge 40 collar. so that turning or twisting of the tubewith relation to the shaft will be impossible.

The modified construction shown in Fig. 3 operates upon a similarprinciple, .but in lieu of the wedge plug rst described, a lockingmember 35 45 is employed which, in the form shown, is provided in itscenter with a squared aperture 31 which receives a squared stud 3Soutwardly protruding from the locking plug 2l. The walls adjacent theaperture 31 are struck upwardly to 50 afford flanges 39, and the lockingmember is held in position by the provision of a plurality of upwardlyand outwardly extending fingers 4&3, each of which is provided with anotch di in its end, which notches are properly positioned to engageteeth 42 formed on the upper end of the tube 30 so that with the teethand notches in engagement, the locking member will be suspended ininterlocked relation with the tube, and in order to more firmly hold theparts in interlocked relation, the member 36 is further provided aroundits edge with protuberant members 43 which contact the inner wall of thetube at a short distance below the upper terminus thereof.

The parts are held in interlocked relation by the provision of a screw44 which is entered through a dished cap plate 45, the margin of whichbears against the toothed upper edge of the tube 30, so that by turningdown the screw, the tube can be forced into wedging relation with thewedge collar 34. The lower end of the tube in the form shown in Fig. 3,instead of being flared is provided with an inwardly tapered collar 46which wedges upon the surface of the collar 34, The collar 46 may besecured by rivets, brazing, welding, or in any other suitable manner,and affords an abutment for the lower ends of the wrapping and sheath.

The construction shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 is similar in all respectsto that last described, with the exception that the tube 30 instead ofbeing toothed or serrated at its upper end is provided with a flaredterminus 41 which cooperates with a locking member 48 having a flaredwall 49 which wedges against the flared surface 41 when the parts aredrawn together by the action of the screw 44 entered through the capplate 45.

In all of the forms shown, a space or clearance is provided between theinner wall of the tube 30 and the surface of the shaft, and the lockingmembers are so constructed and configured as to permit the width of thisspace to be varied by the substitution of grip tubes of varying diameterto suit the preference of the individual player. The locking deviceswill function equally well with tubes of different diameter so that aproper fitting or substitution of parts can be effected withoutdifficulty or delay. This enables the player, if he so desires, to carryseveral different grips in his playing kit and make substitutions ifoccasion should require.

In each of the forms of construction shown, the locking device is sodesigned as to firmly and rigidly unite the grip tube with the golf clubshaft, so that danger of twisting or slipping of the parts will becompletely eliminated.

Although the invention has been described with considerableparticularity as to detail, and although three forms of the constructionembodying the principles of the present invention have been illustratedas exemplications thereof, it will be understood that othermodifications in detail may be employed without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a golf club shaft or the like, a locking plugextending outwardly from the upper end of the golf club shaft, a lockingmember slidably and non-rotatably mounted on the locking plug, a griptube surrounding the shaft and in spaced relation thereto, the secondnamed locking member being provided with means for maintainingnon-rotating engaging relation with the upper end of the grip tube forholding the same in spaced non-rotating relation to the golf club shaft,a closing cap overlying the upper end of the grip tube, a screw enteredthrough said cap and into the first named locking member and adapted todraw the second named locking member into interlocking relation with thetube, and a wedge collar on the shaft positioned to lie within the lowerend of the tube to exert a wedging contact therewith when the parts areinterlocked.

2. In combination with a golf club shaft or the like, a locking plugsecured to the upper end of the shaft and having a squared projectingportion extending outwardly therefrom, a locking member slidably andnon-rotatably mounted thereon and provided with upwardly and outwardlyextending portions, a grip tube surrounding the shaft and in spacedrelation thereto, the upwardly and outwardly extending portions of thelocking member having toothed interlocking relation with the upper edgeof the tube. a wedge collar mounted upon the shaft and positioned tobear against the lower end of the grip tube, a closing cap adapted tobear upon the projecting portions of the locking member, and a. screwentered through the closing cap and into the plug for drawing theclosing cap against the locking member to establish non-rotatableinterlocked relation between the shaft and with the upper end of thetube and wedging relation between the shaft and the lower end of thetube.

ERIC E. HALL.

